CWS Comments

crazy finish! Florida belted a lot of balls that went for easy outs... just wasn't their day.

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Unbelievable finish. Kent State could not throw a strike, loads the bases, and wiggles out of it.

Was hard to watch those poor pitchers try and 'guide' the ball into the strike zone. All of their body language screamed, 'I am really nervous about this.'

Still, they won. Congrats to the Flashes!

Kudos to a team that has no prior experience (in Omaha) as to one whose players have had 2 or 3 times.
I think some of the wind went out of the sails of the gators back on Gainesville. It just wasn't meant to be. They never looked sharp (even in regionals) but imo not indifferent.
As many know son played for KO for 3 years. I know he doesn't teach or accept disrespect, but that baseball is a game where on any given day any team can win.

I didn't see indifference either. They hit the ball hard, just at the wrong places. Both teams had chances, Kent State just won today. Although I am sorry for UF, they'll be ok. I was happy for Kent State, especially the player who unexpectedly lost his mom last Thursday and chose to stay and play. He had some good hits and made one heck-uv-a play in the field. That took great heart.

Arkansas tonight...very, VERY impressive.

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Arkansas tonight...very, VERY impressive.

Great game!!!

Survived is basically it for K St. I see those stats of BB/IP for the relievers and seems they are squeezing the ball, cause it ain't breaking. However, as a Kent State grad. CONGRATS on first CWS win. sent the #1 seed home. Maybe with fisrt win, they will settle down and run the table! I know, I know I am being a homer

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"Arkansas tonight...very, VERY impressive."

That was my impression also. Great game...a real pleasure to watch.

What do you think is going through all of the teams' heads now that the Golden Flashes muzzled the Gators? I know for certain that no team will overlook Kent State.


"They're no 'flash in the pan' those Golden Flashes!"......"You got that right. And they're no souffle that'll defalate when you look cross-eyed at them. No-siree!"

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So lets see...we have UCLA/FSU tonight. I really liked UCLA when I saw them live this year, but not sure they can go toe-to-toe offensively with the Noles.

Kent State/South Carolina tomorrow...although I love the Kent State story, I think its about to end for them. Still, what a great story.

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I agree just. I had the sense that Florida had more to do with the outcome of the game than Kent State. Nonetheless, I'm still rooting for the Golden Flashes.

South Carolina got beat by a very good Arkansas team and my opinion is the Gamecocks will use that loss mightily as a motivation to get that 'third-in-a-row'!



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South Carolina got beat by a very good Arkansas team and my opinion is the Gamecocks will use that loss mightily as a motivation to get that 'third-in-a-row'!

Could be? I picked them to win it all based on their experience. I have been awfully impressed with Arkansas, but they depend heavily on pitching and defense. They don't seem to be able to generate a ton of runs. That kind of reminded me of what I thought was a 'sure-thing-UCLA' of two years ago that ultimately lost to the Gamecocks.

Will history repeat?

I think you need to be a little more balanced than Arkansas this year or say UCLA with Bauer and Cole. South Carolina may also have a balance problem as it seems like you can pitch around their lineup (fewer tough spots in their lineup) this year so it might be tough for them to 3-peat.

So then you're saying AZ? That would be a pretty good prediction at this point I would say.

Fear the SEC

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I've enjoyed hearing the commentary about how the Arizona hitters initially didn't like the 'too large size' of their new park, but learned to like it as they have now become more adept at putting the ball in play rather than swinging for the fence. That and the new bat standards reducing the 'pop' have them thinking about hitting in a way that seemingly is well suited for the new park in Omaha.

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Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
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I've enjoyed hearing the commentary about how the Arizona hitters initially didn't like the 'too large size' of their new park, but learned to like it as they have now become more adept at putting the ball in play rather than swinging for the fence. That and the new bat standards reducing the 'pop' have them thinking about hitting in a way that seemingly is well suited for the new park in Omaha.

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Good points.

justbb - you might be right about Arizona. jemaz and biggerpapi pegged those guys before the tournament started. I'll stick with my pick of South Carolina but they don't appear to have quite the offensive firepower as years past. As Arkansas showed last night however, good pitching always beats good hitting. I am not sure Arkansas can get that pitching performance each night however. That kid is obviously going to be a very high round draft choice.

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Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
I've enjoyed hearing the commentary about how the Arizona hitters initially didn't like the 'too large size' of their new park, but learned to like it as they have now become more adept at putting the ball in play rather than swinging for the fence. That and the new bat standards reducing the 'pop' have them thinking about hitting in a way that seemingly is well suited for the new park in Omaha.

Sort of a related story...but they swept Stanford earlier in the year in the new(er) ballpark at a time when Stanford looked like the greatest team of all time. The Stanford radio announcer (basically a kid just out of school) wrote all kinds of stuff blaming the whole series on the field and ballpark. He complained something like, 'Lopez just built his team to win at that ballpark but otherwise...'

I kind of pounded him on a message board about 'making excuses' (even though I'm definitely a Stanford fan) and he got a little agitated at me.

But they definitely bought into playing a style that works for them!

Oh well...wonder what he's thinking now?

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"Oh well...wonder what he's thinking now?"

Let me guess just...

"Hmmm...I wonder what purpose this odd flat disc has? And that arm there...robotic perhaps?"

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"But they definitely bought into playing a style that works for them!"

And that's why I like their team. Making lots of thing happen without relying on the home run.

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My team is still headed home...



Smooth sailing for them on the Intracoastal thank goodness.



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LOL Wood!

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Kinda' tough to root for a UCLA team that was trailing 4-1 and loaded the bases with no outs only to have the next three batters strike out. FSU's Sitz was nasty to those three. Go take a seat. Same with you. Adios, they saved a spot!

FSU earned it...UCLA didn't.

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At the OMA airport, heading home. All I can say is that if you haven't been out here, you need to make the trip. I felt like I was in heaven my entire time out here. Nice people and some great baseball.

Add Amato's to the list of "must visit" restaurants. Their breakfast is phenominal. I had the Ricotta and blueberry pancakes.

It was great seeing all of our EvoShield Canes kids play out here.

There are 4 very high...VERY HIGH...quality teams left and a Cinderella. Would love to see Cinderella win it all...but of the other 4 who are more likely, it is very hard to predict who will get this thing done.

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"Has anyone seen my glass cleats? I just Kent seem to find them."



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I thought Sitz from FSU was just terrific.
Seems like he threw his slider more than 1/2 the time and nearly every pitch to strike out the side with the bases loaded in the 6th.
FSU pitching threw hard breaking balls/sliders all 9 innings and UCLA hitters didn't seem to adjust. From the time they loaded the bases through the last out of the game, UCLA didn't have very good AB's, in my view.
FSU is playing well.
The game with UofA should be terrific, again. Not sure I like it but the way the CWS works allows UA to come back with Hoyer, again, on more than adequate rest. Of course the downside to using Hoyer tomorrow is the impact, if UA gets to the Championship round, on his ability to come back and start and be effective in one of those games.

Kent State surely has a TOUGH TOUGH road ahead to beat SC and ARK twice to get to the finals....but CRAZIER things have happened in this tournament! Gotta love the Cinderella story, and we are rooting hard for our home town boys here in Ohio...GO KENT!!! BTW, the young man who lost his mom was our son's HS catcher. He had one heck of a game against Florida and we were all so happy for him. My understanding is after flying home for the funeral, he will head back to Omaha today. Jason is a wonderful young man and our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family!

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Thanks for the insight Southmaw. I certainly wouldn't be disappointed iuf Kent State won it all. They're easy to root for!

And welcome to the HSBBW!



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Good news and bad news for the Golden Flashes.

Good News: Gamecocks are starting LHP Jordan Montgomery, a true freshman, in his first CWS appearance, on National TV, in front of a huge crowd, in an elimination game. He has had his ups and downs in SEC play this season but has fared well and has earned Tanners confidence but that's a ton of pressure on a young arm.

Bad News: Tanner said he will bring Roth in if he needs to. (I'm sure that's what Arkansas is hoping for)

Good article on Kent State player who says he doesn't have a handicap, just an obstacle he had to overcome.

interview

very nice report. thanks for posting

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Originally posted by WinBuc44:
Good news and bad news for the Golden Flashes.

Good News: Gamecocks are starting LHP Jordan Montgomery, a true freshman, in his first CWS appearance, on National TV, in front of a huge crowd, in an elimination game. He has had his ups and downs in SEC play this season but has fared well and has earned Tanners confidence but that's a ton of pressure on a young arm.

Bad News: Tanner said he will bring Roth in if he needs to. (I'm sure that's what Arkansas is hoping for)

Tanner is now starting senior Michael Roth today instead of Montgomery. May be good news for Arkansas.

Michael Roth starting today might be good news for Arkansas, but unfortunately not such good news for Kent! RJM...nice article! They showed an interview with that young man last night during the rain delay...what an inspiring story!

Yep, michael roth did what he does... win games
lots of baseball in Omaha today

Congrats on Kent State making it to the CWS and having a great showing. They are a tough never give up type. I first saw them in an early season tournament here in SC vs Winthrop and GA Tech and I knew they would go far this season.

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I agree with you WinBuc44.



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I didn't realize FSU and AZ was on. How did AZ score six in the first? And how did they load the bases in the second? Wow!



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Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
I didn't realize FSU and AZ was on. How did AZ score six in the first? And how did they load the bases in the second? Wow!

Must be that, you know, tailor-made ball club that Andy Lopez built JUST for this series and THIS ballpark...but otherwise isn't as good as they look.

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Tailor made? Thanks for the inseam insight just.




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South Carolina vs FSU would be a great series for the championship.